Alive Together
by TwilightSnowStar
Summary: What would've happened if Bella and Edward had been given a chance to love while they were human? Or, more specifically, when Edward was human? The story of two loves, a sickness, a war, all in the lovely year of 1918.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. _

_Ok, this is what I think would've happened if Bella met Edward when he was alive and if they were the same age. Both are human. If I got anything wrong about Chicago then, I'm sorry. Tell me in a review or something. Well there you go._

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Chapter 1

February-1918- Chicago, Illinois

"Edward Anthony Mason! Get out of bed right now! Its time for school and you don't want to be late today. I heard from Mrs. Johnson that you are apparently going to have a new student today. According to her, he is about your age and just moved up here from Philadelphia. Won't it be interesting to meet someone from Philadelphia? Get a move on Edward, I want you to be the first person that this young man meets so you can make him feel welcome."

This shout came from my mother startling me from my dreams. I didn't want to get up but Mother wouldn't take no for an answer and I knew that if I didn't get out of bed soon she would come in here and shout more. Better to wake up from my own free will than being forced out of my bed from a woman.

By the time I got downstairs to the brightly lit kitchen, our cook Mrs. Snow already had a plate of ham and eggs on the table for me. Mrs. Snow was like family to me, she always was there if I had to talk or if I ever snuck food, she wouldn't tell Mother.

"So, did you hear Mother screaming about the new kid?" I asked Mrs. Snow in between bites of eggs and ham.

"Yes Mr. Mason. I think his name is James Richards." I didn't like how he called me Mr. Mason but she felt that she had a responsibility to.

In about five minutes I was finished with breakfast and was heading out the door when Mother stopped me.

"Edward, please make the new boy feel welcome. Be nice. Now hurry or you'll be late." And with a hug from my mother I was out the door and walking out to school through the icy wind of a Chicago winter.

After about 10 minutes of struggling to walk to school I arrive in front of my school. Some people didn't like their school or learning. I didn't mind learning but I mostly found my school comforting. It was a big two-story building that always brought me comfort to see that some things are constant and do not change. There were so many changes and inventions being created in the world today that it was nice to know that some things don't change.

Near the steps toward the doors I saw a boy that looked to be my age. He had a nondescript face and normal brown hair. This had to be James Richards. I knew almost everyone in this school and I had never seen him before.

Remembering what my mother had told me about welcoming this new boy and knowing that I'd feel her wrath if I didn't, I made my way over to the new boy to introduce myself.

As I walked over to him, he looked up at me and said, "Hello."

"Hello. My name is Edward Mason, you must be James Richards."

I could tell that he was surprised that I knew his name. Sometimes I could tell what people were feeling and guessed at what they were feeling about. It was a bit strange but it was only a guess, it wasn't like I could read minds like some of those fake fortune-tellers pretended to be able to do.

"How did you know my name?" And I was right. Well just a freaky guess.

"My cook is a bit too nosy. I think she knows the names of your father and grandfather." He smiled at that and I could tell that we were going to be friends.

"Come on. I'll show you to your first class. You'll have to watch out for Miss. Kerlol, she can breathe fire."

"Then I'll just have to try to get a seat in the back." He laughed as we walked to English.

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_Well? How'd you like it? Tell me if it was good or not. And remember, REVIEW!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or Chicago._

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Chapter 2

As James and I were walking to English together we tried to find out more about each other. So far, James seemed like someone that could be a good friend for me. First, he wasn't some spoiled little boy from Philadelphia. He actually seemed like a good person. Second, he wasn't the kind of boy that was content to just sit in one place, he actually enjoyed being outside and sports.

"Ok, what is the one thing that you love more than anything else to do?" I had to see if maybe we had a sport or some activity in common, I didn't like much of the people here, many were spiteful and selfish, and I wanted to find something that could occupy both myself and James.

"Oh, that's easy," he started with a grin, "I love hunting." It was a very normal response. My father liked to go out to the country himself and hunt, sometimes bringing me. But there was just something in his eyes that seemed not right, like he didn't just like hunting, but he was obsessed by it. I decided to change the subject to something that wouldn't make him get that look in his eyes again.

"Ok, well, have you ever met a girl that you liked?" I asked with a sly grin.

"Well, yes. Some were pretty or I just liked them, but I don't think that they'd ever really liked me." He stated in a somewhat sad voice. Although, I got the impression that he never was really that interested. "How about you?" He suddenly asked. I was taken a bit aback by the question but I answered nonetheless.

"No. No girl has caught my eye yet." It was the truth. I knew that some girls liked me but I never felt the same way. Maybe I was waiting for someone special or maybe I would never find love. Just then, I didn't really care.

By then, we had made it to the English classroom. I could tell that James wasn't even that nervous, that was good, he wouldn't have to worry that much over every little thing. Today I saw that our teacher, Miss. Vitron, was especially tense today. What reason, I had no certain idea but I guessed that it had something to do with the war. The war was one of the only things on our teacher's mind, she always worried that her brother that was off fighting there would get killed or hurt. I felt bad for her but after a while it got annoying. Today looked like it was going to be one of those days where she made us write letters to the soldiers. My mother was terrified of the war as well simply because she was worried that I'd try to enter into it. I couldn't do that, Mother needed me and if I left I have no idea what would happen to her.

James and I both sat down in seats side-by-side, he didn't know anyone else and I didn't want to be caught in the middle of a group of silly, giggling, girls. That was one of the worst things about school in my opinion, the girls. They were always shamelessly flirting and acting incredibly stupid.

And here comes one now, I thought to myself. Mary Sawer was probably the most empty-headed flirt in the entire school, and for some reason I was her target. Couldn't they get that I wasn't interested?

"Hello Edward. Do you like my new dress?" She asked as she pointed to her newest gaudy piece of clothing, a hideous purple number. I tried to search for something to say that would excuse myself from commentating on Mary's dress when I heard James snicker. At that, Mary whirled around on him with an angry expression on her face, saying, "You find that funny? Well, who are you to be making judgements like that? Probably some farmer's boy from Mississippi aren't you?" I was horrified at her behavior, she really wasn't the type of girl I liked at all.

"Well, I see that not everyone in Chicago is nice. And I am not a farmer's boy from Mississippi. My father is a doctor from Philadelphia." James was standing up for himself like that on his first day. He wouldn't have a problem here.

At his answer Mary became noticeably embarrassed and stuttered out, "Oh. You're James Richards. Um...I got to go." And she fled. James just slouched a bit in his seat and looked at my wide-eyed expression with a, "What?"

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_Lots of people have asked me if James Richards is 'the James', my answer to that is think what you want. I just put that in there for a bit of mystery. Sorry if this isn't historically correct. As always, REVIEW!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Ok, here is the chapter that all of you have been asking about. People of Fanfiction, I give you,drum beats fast, **Bella!**_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or Chicago._

_Now, on to the chapter!_

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Chapter 3

It was at that moment that Miss. Vitron called us to order.

"Ok, students. Today I want you to write letters to the soldiers in Europe. Put your heart into it. Express your gratitude that they do this. I'm sorry but before we can start, I want to introduce our two new students." Wait, _two_ new students? Wasn't James the only one? Obviously, Mother and Mrs. Snow needed better gossip.

"Our first new student is Mr. James Richards. He came here from Philadelphia." She gestured for James to step up to the front of the classroom. He walked up and again, he wasn't nervous at all.

"And this is Miss. Isabella Swan." She gestured again for Isabella to come up to the front of the classroom. She had been sitting next to the Polish immigrant girl, Anistasya, I think it was. She walked slowly and timidly to the front, where, she turned around and I was met with a startling pair of dark brown eyes set in a pale face framed in dark brown hair. It was clear that she was terrified and for some reason I wanted to comfort her.

Then Miss. Vitron let them sit down again, James next to me and Isabella to Anistasya, whom she seemed much more comfortable with. My eyes followed Isabella to her seat and stayed on her until Miss. Vitron told us to get to work on our letters. I pulled out my pen and paper and started writing about how brave and good the soldiers were. I bet the soldiers were more sick of our letters than we were of writing them.

"Edward, are you done yet?" James had started talking to me. We weren't supposed to talk during class but Miss. Vitron wasn't anywhere nearby, probably crying over her brother again, poor woman.

"Not yet James. Are you?" I glanced at his paper, and he had already written to the bottom of the page, he was quick.

"Yes. Does everyone always stare at the new kids here? I'm not that interesting." He said with a grin.

"Sorry James, I think they were staring more at Isabella Swan." She is a bit pretty, I silently added to myself, I'd never admit that to James.

"Who is she?" I was shocked! He was standing right next to her! I couldn't be the only one that couldn't forget her.

"James! She was standing right next to you! She's the brown haired one sitting next to the blond Polish girl, Anistasya Saworki is her name I think."

"Oh her. She looked terrified."

"Yes, she did, didn't she." I was lost again at the thought of her terrified face.

"Well, as much as I love chit-chatting, you have a letter to right, don't you?" He grinned at that.

"Then why are you talking to me?"

"Finish your work Edward." And that was apparently the end of it.

By about a half an hour, English was over. I had finished my letter along with occasional glances at Isabella during the class.

When the teacher ushered us all away to Arithmetic, I was convinced at finding more about Isabella.

When Isabella and James were introduced again and again in every class, only one teacher told something that I hadn't known, Miss. Olsen. Apparently, Isabella's father was to become the police chief of Chicago. Perfect. Mother always loved hosting dinner parties to people and the two facts that the Swans were new to Chicago and that Mr. Swan would become the new police chief, she would be ecstatic to host them. As seventeen-year-olds and nearing adulthood, Isabella and I would have to attend. Perfect, absolutely perfect, and I started smiling as James and I were walking home, both splitting at the corner of Pike St.

"What are you smiling about?" Only James would notice something like that. Mother will probably want to host a dinner for James' family as well.

"Nothing, I just enjoyed how school went today." It was true, I had.

"Ok, well, I'll see you at school tomorrow Edward." And with a wave he was gone.

I hurried to get through the rest of the two blocks it took to get to my home.

Finally I was there. I rushed through the doorway after uttering a hurried greeting to my father who was in his office, working on one of his many cases. He waved in response then returned to his work. Sometime I wondered if he was overworked, he did a bit more grey hairs than a man of his age should have. Well, when he wasn't working he was still his jolly self so he must not be too bad.

Mother was in the kitchen, talking to Mrs. Snow.

"Hello Mother, Mrs. Snow."

"Oh, hello Edward. Did you make the new boy feel welcome?" Mother always wanted me to be kind to people, but her orders on meeting James hadn't been that bad, since I had liked him and we could become fast friends.

"Yes, Mother. Although, James Richards wasn't the only new student. We also have a new girl named Isabella Swan, her father is the new police chief." I tried to put emphasis on that point.

"Really? Oh, we must introduce ourselves! The poor dear, she must be terrified. Mrs. Snow, I think that we'll be having guests tomorrow night." My mother, always sociable.

"Yes Madame, I'll start on the menu right now."

Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

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_Are you all happy now? Or do you want more Bella-ness? Come on, I had to rush to get this out for you!_

_Questions? Ask me._

_TwilightSnowStar_


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4! _

_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. I don't own America. I don't own the world. _

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Chapter 4

The next day at school, I sat with James as usual. I was very excited for Mother's dinner tonight. She had sent the Swans invitations yesterday and all I had to do was wait until tonight. That wasn't the easy part. I couldn't wait at all, I kept stealing glances at Isabella during the various classes. I thought that I was being discrete, but apparently not when James broke into my thoughts about how Isabella's skin was so white.

"Edward, what are you staring at? You're starting to drool." Why was my friend so observant? Why does he even care? We were supposed to finish our history papers on King Louis XVI, although knowing him he's done already.

"Nothing. Just thinking about dinner this evening. We're having guests and our cook is planning something that apparently will be heaven on earth. Knowing her it's true." That was the truth. When I woke up this morning I smelled everything that had the power to make my mouth water.

"Really? Well if it's food, I understand." Then he got a dreamy look and I could tell he was fantasizing about food. And then, "Who's coming?"

"The Swans. My mother feels that they need to be welcomed properly. In about a week you'll probably get a dinner invitation too." Knowing my mother, anything was possible.

"Food." And he was off again, dreaming about different flavors and dinners and desserts. I wondered if there was a food-obsession. If there was, James would probably have it.

And then my thoughts went back to Isabella. Would she like me? What would happen? Was she betrothed? It was sad but some people our age were already engaged to be married. I hoped she wasn't, although why I suddenly had an interest in Isabella Swan was unnatural.

Finally, the day was over. I saw Isabella walk away with Anistasya, the Polish girl that she's friends with. I remember when Anistasya Saworki first came here from Poland about six months ago. Then, she knew barely a word of English, now she was pretty fluent although there was those occasional times that she started talking in Polish. Altogether, she was pretty, with blond hair, brown eyes, and her tall height, although I never looked at her that way. If I wanted Isabella to notice me, I would probably have to talk to Anistasya a bit. I never really talked to her or anyone else for that matter. Mostly I didn't want to, I was usually a solitary person, but James is an exception and I don't know why I get excited over Isabella like this.

I said goodbye to James at Pike St. then went home. The second I got in the doorway, I was assaulted by delicious smells that hit me like a brick.

Chicken pie. Roast. Rissoto. Vegetables and mushrooms simmering in the pan. Fish with lemon. Chocolate cake. Every one of my favorite dishes and many more were being cooked. Mrs. Snow had outdone herself, I could tell just by the smell. I let my nose lead me to the kitchen where Mrs. Snow was cooking still more food, even helped by my mother just by the sheer amount of food.

"How many people are coming? Fifty?" I asked as I came into the kitchen and grabbed an apple from the pile that they were going to use for apple pie.

"Well, Mr. Swan, Mrs. Swan, and Isabella Swan are coming. There's us. And the Swans wanted to know if they could bring one of Isabella's friends. She's her only friend here so far, and I think it would be good for her to be with her. I think her name is Anistasya Saworki. She immigrated here all the way from Poland a while ago. Then it's us and Mrs. Snow of course. I just want to make sure that everyone has enough to eat." Anistasya was going to be here too? Wow, only the closest friends are allowed to come to my mother's dinners. She must really want to welcome the Swans. Isabella must be really lonely, if she has only one friend in Chicago. I felt a bit sympathetic for her.

"Mother, I think that you could feed the entire neighborhood with what you have." At that she grinned. My mother was very unique. Half of the women in Chicago have probably never grinned in their lives, but my mother grins and jokes when we are all together. When we are in public though, she is the picture of the model Chicago woman.

"Maybe, we can always give the neighborhood the leftovers if they really want them, can't we now?"

I pointed at what looked like cabbages rolled around something. "What are those things?" I had never seen something like those.

"Those are gumpgis. Since Anistasya is from Poland, I thought that we would have some Polish food for her. Mrs. Snow had some Polish friends and she remembers how to make them. Gumpgis are beef and rice wrapped in cabbage leaves. They sound good, Mrs. Snow says that they are excellent. I hope they're like Anistasya's used to in Poland." My mother was also very kind. Would anyone else in Chicago make Polish food to a Polish girl?

Then, my father came in. He was probably investigating the smell like I was.

"How much food are you making?" Yes, it was like me all over again.

I left the kitchen and headed to my room, I wanted to read a bit and just think in peace. I picked up my latest novel, Dracula by Bram Stoker. It was interesting, how people believed stories like that. I didn't believe in things like zombies and ghosts, but least of all vampires. How could vampires exist in the human world? They would be noticed surely. Although I didn't believe the story, it was still interesting to read it.

I spent about two hours reading Dracula. I wanted to go farther when a shout interrupted me.

"Edward! The Swans will be here in half an hour! Hurry and get ready!" Thank you God for mothers! I put my book down and left, heading for the bathroom. Most people in Chicago didn't have running water, we were lucky to.

I scrubbed my face and hands, then headed for my closet where I always had something ready incase Mother planned a dinner. It was just a formal suit that Mother wouldn't have any scruples with. I changed and headed downstairs to wait for the Swans. In the kitchen, Mrs. Snow was putting the finishing touches on all the food. Mother and Father were in the sitting room waiting too. I sat down on one of the couches as well.

I noticed Mother look towards me and nod in approval. My father seemed very relaxed although I knew he was a bit anxious at how the Police Chief would think of him. He could be worried about his image but he was a good man, I knew that from just listening to the things that you hear when you're the son of a rich lawyer in Chicago.

And then, someone knocked on the door.

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_Lot's of fluff, I know. Next chapter there'll be a lot of stuff so you guys can wait. Right?_

_Did you like the Dracula part?_

_Questions? Ask me._

_TwilightSnowStar_


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight._

_The long awaited chapter!_

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Chapter 5

Mrs. Snow opened the door and from the sitting room we could hear her greet the Swans and Anistasya. They responded with polite greetings of their own and were then led into the sitting room to talk with us while dinner was just getting finished.

I couldn't believe it when Isabella walked in. She looked amazing. She wore an ordinary red dress, nothing fancy. But the red complimented her skin so well that she looked like royalty. Her hair wasn't up like girls normally wear, it was down and curled slightly at the bottom. She was more than beautiful.

I tore my eyes from Isabella to look at her family as they all sat down.

Her mother had Isabella's hair color and skin color. She seemed like a nice woman, with laugh lines on her face.

Her father, Chief Swan, was a tall man. He had a bit of a receding hair line in his light brown hair, but his blue eyes looked like they were always ready to twinkle at a joke.

Anistasya was the same Polish immigrant that arrived 6 months ago. She wore an ordinary dress like Isabella but her's was blue, and her hair was up in a bun at the top of her head. "Welcome, Chief Swan, Mrs. Swan, Miss. Swan, Miss. Saworki." My mother, always welcoming, she even pronounced Stasha's last name right, I can't tell you how many people had trouble with her last name when she first got here.

"Thank you for let me to come, Mrs. Mason. I am sorry if I do not understand all, my English is not very good."

"That's alright, dear. You haven't been here for that long, and already you speak it well," replied Mother to Anistasya's apology.

"But thank you Mrs. Mason for letting me bring Stasya." You could tell that Isabella was relieved that Stasya was here.

"It was no problem at all dear, you must be very hard for you to be here and not knowing many people. Well, my at least you'll know Edward now, right?" Why did my Mother always have to drag me into the conversation. But maybe that was a good thing, maybe it would impress Isabella if my mother kept dragging me into the conversation like she always did, if she talked about my accomplishments perhaps. I wanted Isabella to be impressed by me.

At that moment Mrs. Snow came into the sitting room with a loud, "Dinner is ready Ma'am."

At that we all filed into the dinning room. The table was covered in platters and covered dishes. The smell alone could knock out a person.

Everyone approached their seats, Isabella next to Stasha, Mother and Father next to each other, and Chief Swan next to his wife. That left me with a seat next to Stasya. I tried not to let my disappointment show.

Suddenly, an idea came to me. I would be a gentleman and hold out Isabella's chair, maybe she would like it.

I proceeded to push in her chair for her. My reward was a smile, although there was something that was strange about it, and a "Thank you Mr. Mason."

I was delighted by my success, "Please, Edward."

I got another smile, "Alright then Edward."

There still was something unusual about her smile and her eyes. I had no idea what it was though.

"Well, who shall say grace? Miss. Swan would you do the honors?"

"I would be delighted Mrs. Mason, and please call me Bella, everyone." Bella then.

"Of course Bella."

"Alright then," and we all clasped our hands and waited for Bella's voice to start.

"Lord, bless this wonderful food that we have been so graciously given by the Masons." Her voice was smooth and beautiful in her prayer, just another wonderful quality about her.

"Help us to give you back some of this bounty. Let us prove ourselves good and never under temptation. Amen."

"Amen." My kind mother.

"Amen." My loving father.

"Amen." Mrs. Swan, a wonderful woman.

"Amen." Chief Swan, the one who will help us to feel protected.

"Amen." Stasya, the foreigner, who seemed to help Bella.

"Amen." Me.

"Well everyone, we can't let all this food go to waste, everyone help yourselves!" And so everyone uncovered a certain dish at my mother's urging.

Suddenly a cry came from Stasya beside me, "Gumpgies! Dziękują! Dziękują tak dalece!"

The look of delight in her eyes started to become sad, she began to cry. Bella wrapped her arms around Stasya's sobbing form, all the while whispering, "Sh, sh, it's alright Stas. It'll be fine, everything will be fine Stas." Everyone seemed very alarmed. Bella just continued to comfort Stasya as she started talking in Polish.

"One są podobni Mashka do używany wyrabiać! Dlaczego zrobił pozostawiamy? Przepuszczam to tak dalece!" It was an unknown language to everyone here.

Stasya started to calm down, after a while and her tears stopped as her Polish stopped.

My mother was worried about Stasya, "Dear, are you all right? Were the gumpgies made wrong? I am so sorry."

"It not your fault. The gumpgies were perfect made. I was just sick for home. I sorry. I think I leave now." And she started to get up and started to leave.

"No honey. I understand, you're homesick. It's very understandable. I didn't know dear, please, stay, I'll just take away the gumpgies."

"No, it be good. I should not let gumpgies make me feel bad." And she just turned to a platter of chicken and started to place some on her plate. Everyone else just gawked at her and how she could just shove all that had happened away.

I felt a bit guilty and sympathetic towards Stasya. I had never thought about how hard it was for her to leave her home. I had always thought that she was glad to be in America and that she had hated Poland. I never really talked to her when she probably could have used a friend.

After awhile, it was like Stasya's outburst had never happened. Everyone was talking and laughing. I wanted to impress Bella and this was the perfect time to do it.

"So Bella, do you play the piano?"

"No."

"Well, I do. Maybe you could listen sometime if you wanted."

She just gave me that strange smile again and nodded.

"Or you could watch me hunt sometime?"

Once more that strange smile.

Dinner ended about an hour later, I tried to impress Bella a bit more but all I got was that strange smile. Maybe that was her way of saying that she liked me? After spending an evening with her, I knew the truth, I did like her, very much. But did she like me? Her strange smile gave me hope.

After what seemed like minutes, the dinner was over. The gumpgies went over well, many were gone, even if Stasya didn't take any.

I walked Bella and Stasya to the door.

"Well, I'll see you both at school. Goodbye. I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Goodbye," they chorused. Well Bella said 'Goodbye', Stasya said some Polish word that I couldn't even pronounce it was so confusing.

Bella giggled at what her friend had said. "She says goodbye too!" And with that they walked away with Mrs. Swan and Chief Swan.

"Well, they were nice weren't they, Edward?" My mother asked.

"Yes, although I feel bad for Stasya."

"Oh, I know. Poor dear, she hasn't seen her home in a long time. But those gumpgies still went over well."

And with that, I left for my room to contemplate Bella's unusual smile.

* * *

_What could be Bella's strange smile? Is she falling in LOVE with him?_

_I know that there was a lot of Polish in here so here are your translations._

_Wdzięczności jest do Boga Thanks be to God._

_Dziękują! Dziękują tak dalece! Thank-you! Thank-you so much!  
_

_One są podobni Mashka do używany wyrabiać! Dlaczego zrobił pozostawiamy? Przepuszczam to tak dalece! They are like Mashka used to make! Why did we leave? I miss it so much!_

_I know that Stasya was a bit dramatic but come on! Be nice! And I like how she can barely speak English!_

_First to review, next chapter dedicated to you!_

_Questions? Ask me!_

_TwilightSnowStar_


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**This chapter is dedicated to... sarasmokeymt!**

Chapter 6

I entered my room and plopped on my bed very un-properly. So much had happened over the past few days that I just wanted to lay back and think over it all.

First, James could be a really good friend to me, one of the only ones that really means half of what they say.

Second, Bella Swan was amazing. She was kind, beautiful, and from what I could see, smart. Many didn't like smart girls, they thought that they should just know manners and how to sew. I didn't like bubbleheads.

Third, Stasya was suffering much more than what she let on, she actually missed her country and the people in it, I probably should have helped her here a bit more. No, I ignored her.

Fourth, Bella seemed to be good friends with Stasya, they seemed very close. She seemed to understand how Stasya felt, having relocated herself.

Fifth, I had gained enough from Bella to know that she seemed to like me. Maybe not as much as I liked her, but she still liked me, I could live with that.

The fifth thought had become when I realized that no one had ever looked at me that way. Not my mother, father, or any of my relations and friends. Mary and a handful of other girls had looked at me with lust, not liking, which I knew that Bella had looked at me with. This thought gave me hope, that Bella seemed to return my feelings. I didn't know how, but something that I had done had worked. I was boasting a bit tonight, but I wanted her to be impressed, and it worked!

With those last thoughts, I drifted off into a restful sleep.

I awoke bright and early the next morning, even before Mother could call for me to get up, that was a first. I was excited, for school. I never thought that I would think that! I knew it wasn't school I liked, more the people in it. I had found a true friend in James, Stasya was someone completely different, and Bella was just Bella. No other word could describe her.

"Edward Anthony Mason! Get up! It's time for school!" And there goes Mother. I got up, got dressed, and readied myself for another day of intellectual conversation and learning.

I ran hurriedly down the stairs and into the kitchen where Mrs. Snow was putting a piece of left-over chicken pie on my plate. I raised an eyebrow at her in question.

She merely shrugged and answered, "Everyone was busy with the gumpgies." That made me laugh! Who would've thought? The Polish food was what everyone loved. So I sat down and rushed through breakfast, eager for the day to begin.

"In a hurry Edward?" I didn't normally eat this fast, or rushed through anything.

It wasn't really proper for a boy and girl to really like each other unless the boy goes calling or they are engaged. Since I have done neither of which I decided on a half truth.

"I want to see James, we're meeting at Pike St. together." That part was true.

This time she raised an eyebrow. "Right. Well, tell James that I said hello. Don't forget to tell Bella and Stasya as well." She said, making a particular emphasis on Bella's name. She knew. Or at least suspected.

"I will." I replied shakily. Mrs. Snow knew, but she didn't tell. I could trust her. She had always kept my secrets. When I was young, she would sneak me a piece of candy or would let me have some of the icing that she was putting on a cake. I could talk to Mrs. Snow, she was like the grandmother that I never knew.

I was finished by now with breakfast and I was heading out the door, saying goodbye to Mother and Father when I added so only Mrs. Snow could hear, "Thank-you." I saw her eyes soften and then I was out the door and walking through Chicago towards Pike St. It was the beginning of March but was still freezing, Chicago wasn't a very warm place at times.

When I reached Pike St., I saw James waiting for me like always, and silently we walked to school.

Finally, about a block from school, James broke the silence. "So, how was the dinner?" I had been talking about this dinner to him for days and I knew that he was beginning to suspect that I wasn't just excited about the food.

I tried to act casually, or as casually as I could when I thought about that blessed night. "Fine. Bella brought a friend."

"Who's Bella?" Oh right, he didn't know that she liked to be called Bella, to him, if he still remembered her, she was Isabella.

"That's what Isabella likes to be called, Bella."

"Really? And how did you find that out, hm?" He asked with a sly glance in my direction.

Why did James have to pick up that stuff? No one normal did!

"She told my Mother that when she was called Isabella." It was the truth, I only omitted the fact that I hung on her every word that night.

"Really? Well, ok. Now, who did she bring?" He didn't believe me, just like Mrs. Snow. Was I really THAT bad at lying?

"Do you remember the girl that Bella was sitting next to on her first day?"

"No." How come whenever I didn't want him to remember something, he did remember? And when I wanted him to remember something, he didn't.

"The blond Polish girl? Stasya Saworki? Doesn't speak English well? Sometimes starts talking in Polish when she doesn't know it?" She had done that quite a few times.

"Oh," his eyes took on recognition, and something else that I couldn't quite identify. "Her name's Stasya? That's her name! Stasya, it's nice." For some reason, he seemed to like the fact that he knew her name. Why? I couldn't fathom it.

We were almost at school know, I could see Bella and Stasya sitting on the steps.

Then, something came into Stasya's eyes and she hurriedly whispered something to Bella.

In another second, Bella and Stasya were gone.

* * *

**What do you think of this chapter? Did you like the new couple? I'm not sure.**

**Do you want more of Stasya talking in bad English and in Polish? I love writing her English! **

**Now,does everyone know what the strange smile was? That maybe it was love at first sight?**

**Questions? Ask me!**

**TwilightSnowStar**


	7. Chapter 7

**_Ok, people, I'm back!_**

**_Sorry this is short, better than nothing!_**

Chapter 7

They just left, I had no idea why, and from the puzzled expression on James's face, he didn't know either.

"Wonder why they left like that, I wanted to talk to Sta... them." What was he going to say? Stasya? He wanted to talk to Stasya?

"Them?" I made my face look skeptical. He noticed my expression, I could tell by the worried look on his face. He's hiding something, my strange intuition flickered on. He's hiding something that he doesn't want me or anyone else to know about. In his eyes I caught a glimpse of a strange, unknown, and immense power. It was an energy of such strength that if used, it would leave nothing in it's path.

However, in just that brief moment, his features changed to a look of innocence, cutting off my view into that intensity in his eyes.

"Yes, them, what did you think I meant?" His eyes were their normal brown now, exactly as they had been a minute ago. I probably only imagined the look in his eyes, but what I thought I saw, still gave a huge impact on me, and left me shivering inside. James caught that look.

"Edward, are you all right?" He was my friend, my best friend, I couldn't imagine James hurting something. That was the one thing that I was positive of, that power in his eyes, it wasn't good, at all.

"Yes, I'm fine, it's just still a little cold." That was the truth, Chicago was freezing, although spring was upon us.

"Are you sure?" He still worried, he was a good and caring friend, he would never harm anything.

"Yes. So, has anyone in school caught your attention yet?" I was still remembering our conversation when he first came here, and then he seemed so intent on Stasya.

"Oh, no one in particular... absolutely no one." He added nervously.

"Really? Are you sure? Maybe Stasya?"

"What!"

"Don't lie James, I saw how you looked at her."

"I didn't do anything of the sort!"

"Yeah, and Mother let me sleep in! Come on, out with it!"

"I told you! I don't like her!" Then why was he suddenly tinged with red?

"Fine, you don't like her. Alright."

"I really don't like her!"

"I believe you."

"Good, because I don't... like her." And with that we walked into school, sat down at our ususal seats together, and listened to Miss. Vitron give a lecture on the proper uses of the imperative.

James liked Stasya, that much was certain. How would I make him admit it? He was very stubborn and this could prove difficult.

This was too much to think of just now, I would think on it later, but now to a much more enjoyable past time, the watching of Bella.

Bella looked very beautiful, just like she always did. Her lovely ebony hair was tied back in a bun, and was shining. Her large eyes sparkled as she giggled at something that Stasya had whispered.

Suddenly, Bella sensed my gaze and turned towards me, our eyes meeting for the briefest of seconds but to me seemed an eternity.

That was it, I would go to her right after school, I couldn't take it anymore! I would tell her how I feel about her, her strange smile that she always gave me encouraged me that she liked me as well, but did she love me? I loved her.

How could I not love her? She was an angel, perfection among fault, the one glowing star in a drab background of night.

I loved her. I think it was love at first sight with me, but did she love me?

--

**_TwilightSnowStar_**


	8. Chapter 8

**_This chapter is dedicated to... londongirl1016!_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight._**

Chapter 8

Did she love me? That was the question, I spent all of English and most of the day thinking about Bella and if she felt what I felt for her. That question always came to my mind, but was finally silenced when I remember her strange smile, no one had ever smiled at me like that. In it I could see love, so much love that I don't know why I didn't realize it before.

With my doubts silenced, I became impatient for the end of the day. I tried to think up ways to do it. Would I approach her from behind? Should I talk to Stasya first?

That realization hit me, I couldn't do this alone. I needed to talk to Stasya, about what I should I do. Stasya was her best friend, she would know how I should do this, she could help me!

With everything cleared up, I turned to James, who was staring vacantly at the classroom, deep in thought. We were supposed to be writing a history report but, of course, James was already finished. I looked to where James was staring, and realized that he was staring at Stasya, almost drooling over her from the looks of it. This was ironic, just the other day wasn't he reprimanding me for 'drooling' over Bella, even though I said that I was just imagining the food that Mrs. Snow was preparing for the dinner for the Swan's. That day seemed so far away, even though it was probably only a week or so ago. Just the realization that Bella loved me, being in love with her myself, and starting to understanding Stasya better, just seemed to be the brightest point of my life, the time that seemed to be my life unto itself.

I jerked myself out of my thoughts as I heard the teacher say, "Class is dismissed students. Have a happy weekend."

And with that, we all got up from our seats and walked through the doorway.

Outside, I looked for Bella and/or Stasya. I didn't see either of them. Speaking of finding people, where was James? I always walked with him to Pike St. Where was he?

I was starting to get worried when I finally saw him talking to Stasya. How did I miss her? Usually you can see her, she does stick out a bit.

I saw James say something to Stasya with a kind and loving? look in his eyes. I was right! He does like her! I couldn't believe how ironic it was, I was in love with Bella and James was in love with her best friend.

I dragged myself out of my thoughts once again when I saw Stasya look angry, and stomped off.

What had happened? What had James said?

I rushed over to him. The usual James was happy and always joking. This James looked downcast and as if he was ready to just let go of life. All this over Stasya? He really loved her, that much was now apparent.

When I reached James, he looked up and once again I saw that incredible power in his eyes, although this time the power in his eyes seemed to be stirring, as if it was ready to unleash itself. That chilled me to the very bone, but I had to move one.

"James, are you alright? What happened?"

His eyes were normal again, "Nothing's wrong, I just found out something about Stasya Sosnowicz though." He said her name bitterly like it was a curse.

"What did you find out about her?"

"She is uncaring, unfeeling to everything but her precious Bella." He said Bella's name with just as much animosity as Stasya's. That made me angry. How could he blame Bella for whatever had happened?

"Why are you blaming Bella? What happened James?"

"I let myself care. When you asked if I liked anyone, I lied. I think I liked Stasya since I first saw her, the way she moves, so gracefully. Her lovely eyes, how they are just perfect crescents. The amazing lilt to her voice. I loved her Edward!" That much was apparent. The way he was going on and on about her, how could anyone do that? I could, I realized, I could spend days thinking about Bella and her every quality.

"Loved? What happened?"

"I told her I loved her, that's what happened!" He was almost shouting now. I had to get him to some place secluded so that he couldn't attract any stares if he started to shout. I dragged him towards my house, he had never been to my house before and the street there was mainly deserted at this time of day.

As we were walking on the sidewalk I asked, "What did she say?"

"She didn't say anything, just became angry at me, I can't believe that I love her!" Love? Did that mean that he still loved her?

We walked the rest of the way to Pike St. And then separated. I watched him walk towards his house, a slow, sad, and lonely figure.

Sad, lonely, wait! I forgot! With everything with James, I forgot to talk to Bella or Stasya! I'd just have to find Stasya on Monday when school resumed. I'd talk to her about Bella and James. Stasya didn't have the best English, she probably only misunderstood what he said, easy enough to do. On Monday, I'd find her, and everything would be perfect.

**_How'd you like it?_**

**_Questions? Ask me!_**

**_TwilightSnowStar_**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**_

**_This chapter is dedicated to...horse-lover122!_**

**_This story is my most reviewed story so far, review more and we'll try to get to 200! That means 42 reviews! Muahahahaha!_**

* * *

Chapter 9

The entire weekend was terrible, I was deprived of seeing Bella for 2 entire days. I missed her, but I needed the thinking time. When Monday morning rolled around, I knew exactly what I would do.

I met James at Pike St as usual, although James wasn't his usual enthusiastic self, he just plodded alongside me, looking at the ground. He must still be mad/sad about Stasya. I was going to one way or another talk to her today, I'll just calmly explain to her what James said, she was confused, her English wasn't very good. As I glance at James out of the quarter of my eye again, I could see that this was the worst I'd ever seen James. I was scared for him, what if he never got over Stasya? I'm sure he would but what if he doesn't? That thought scared me, what scared me even more were his eyes. The power I'd seen in him was always contained, but this time it was fighting, fighting to get out of him somehow, that wasn't what scared me. No, I always somehow knew that it was struggling to get out. No, what frightened me was that it, this power inside of James, was winning. I had to talk to Stasya. It wasn't just about me anymore, (although I was a large part), it was also for James. He needed Stasya. This was too much for him. Just too much.

We were almost at the school by now, and I could see Stasya, who was conveniently without Bella, sitting on the front steps.

"James, if it's ok with you, I need to talk to someone for a second."

He just grunted, like he was unable to answer. I gave him a little smile to him, so that he knew that I would try to help him, and then headed to Stasya.

She wasn't looking towards me, just staring at a book in her lap. This was it. I knew Bella liked me, and I loved her, Stasya was the missing puzzle piece that would bring everyone together.

I approached her, and at the sound of me walking towards me, she looked up towards me with frightened eyes. As a deer would look at someone hunting it. That same alertness, the desperation to run. Her hands struggled to hide the book.

"I did not know! I found it just! I just looking! Do tell not!" She didn't seem to realize that it was me, she seemed to be cowering, hiding her book. What was that book? What could make her so scared?

"Stasya, it's fine. I'm your friend, I won't tell about anything. What's in that book?" I tried to make my tone as kind as possible.

"Oh, it be you. Well, I really got go now, bye good."

"No, Stasya, please wait!"

"What you want Edward? What could make you need now?"

"Please, why did you get angry at James the other day?"

"Why do think? Because of you!"

"What have I ever done!" This was not turning out as I'd hoped, she was supposed to be calm, help me, instead, she seemed mad at me.

"It what you not do! I tell Bella about you kind. Your dinner showed more!"

Bella didn't like me?

"What does Bella have anything to do with this?" Please, Lord God in Heaven, let me fix this!

"Ma wy kiedys pomagaliscie mnie albo inny kto który nie jest tubylec do tego kraju? Zaden! Wy nigdy patrza na inni!" Whatever Stasya was saying, she seemed very angry.

"Dlaczego mógłlby wy nie rozumiałl?"

"Did you think what foreigners felt? What me felt? No! Edward Cullen, can not help lower one. You did no think what new ones felt!"

"Wait? Why are you angry at James?" If I could at least help him.

"You two just walk like you own. Both not care anything less you want!"

She was mad at me. All this was my fault. It was my fault that my best friend was tearing at the seams. It was my fault that Bella really didn't like me.

"Bella disgusted at your dinner. You brag and only show like in her. You never gave anyone else a look, but you look at her. You never care unless, something in for you!"

"Stasya! Please, if there is some way for me to fix this! I'll do anything! I'm sorry! Please! James, he's devastated that you rejected him. He really loves you. And I really do love Bella!" It was the first time that I'd admitted it out loud, I loved Bella.

"No you not! James not too! Bella best friend, first that talk to me! She not get hurt by you!"

And she just walked away, leaving me, heartbroken, falling to pieces.

I was deluding myself. Bella never loved me. Her strange smile was one of disgust, she could never love me. I had been stuck-up. I had been arrogant. It was all my own fault.

* * *

**_Well? Did that surprise you? To understand the reasoning behind all this, review and it'll be in the next chapter. I need 42 reviews though! That includes anonymous people! _****_Review! I need 42!_**

**_Polish Translations:_**

**_Ma wy kiedys pomagaliscie mnie albo inny kto który nie jest tubylec do tego kraju? Zaden! Wy nigdy patrza na inni!_**

**_Did you ever try to help me? No? You didn't help anyone else!_**

_**Dlaczego mógłlby wy nie rozumiałl?**_

**_Why couldn't you have understood?_**

**_TwilightSnowStar_**


	10. Chapter 10

**_Just wanted everyone to know that I _am_ continuing, it just took a while._**

* * *

I skipped school that day. I know that this is unheard of but I couldn't go in like this. I stumbled blearily towards a park, one that during this time of day, when everyone was at work or school, seemed totally empty.

I stumbled towards a bench and sat down. Things were starting to get warmer, it was the middle of April, but inside, my heart was numb.

This was all my fault, everything. Stasya was right about everything, except for the part that I didn't love Bella.

I could've helped Stasya, should've been less distant to everyone.

I shouldn't have been so arrogant at Mother's dinner.

I should've been kinder.

I should've showed Bella that I cared, instead of showing off.

Everything was my fault. My best friend might go mental soon, the only woman I've ever loved hates me, and of course, the person that could've fixed everything hates me too.

At that thought, I got angry, at Stasya. If she wasn't mad at me, everything would be fine. If she hadn't have told Bella those things about me, Bella wouldn't have hated me in the first place. The anger that swept through me helped, to blame someone besides myself, warming my numb heart to show my hate.

But then my thoughts cooled, the comforting blaze of my anger left me, leaving me freezing outside and in.

It was then that I heard weeping, coming from behind a nearby tree. I was wallowing in my own sorrow but I knew that as a gentlemen I couldn't just stand by and not comfort the poor woman. It's probably some simple thing, but I should go see what is wrong either way.

I got off my bench and walked over behind the tree, only to come face-to-face with Bella. Well, it was more my face with her head. Her face was in her hands, hiding her brilliance from the world, as she sobbed crystal tears. Her body was racked with sobs, it was as if her entire world had gone, I had never seen anyone so completely and intolerably sad.

"Why? Why did he have to...die? Ron...why? Why'd...you have to...leave...me?" Her words was broken with sobs. I was consumed with jealousy however. Who was Ron? Was he special to her? But it died just as quickly as it started, Bella didn't and never would belong to me, I had better comfort her as best I could. She might not care about me, but I still loved her.

I approached her quietly, so as not to startle her. "Bella? Are you alright?" Her head turned at the sound of my voice, as if she was embarrassed to be found there by me.

"Edward?" She looked surprised to see me.

"Are you alright?" Her beautiful eyes were wild.

"No Edward. No, I'm not alright. And if it is alright with you, could you please leave? I'm sorry, but it's not a good time." She couldn't get rid of me that easily.

"I heard you crying. Something about a Ron? Do you need to talk about it?" I knew how this looked, a man and a woman alone in a deserted park, no supervision, but I didn't care. We weren't doing anything. I was merely comforting her, and Bella didn't want me in her sight, we were definitely not doing anything.

"I don't want to talk about anything. Please, Mr. Mason, could you leave?" That hurt, from her. To be called a name with such rigid formality.

"Look, Miss. Swan, Stasya told me. I'm not trying to do anything, but I would like you to tell me what's wrong." She stared at me with shocked eyes, her mouth forming an 'O' as if she were slightly appalled, or embarrassed.

"Stasya...told you? About..." I interrupted, "...about how you don't care for me the way I do for you. And that you think I am...arrogant...and conceited." It was amazing how easy I could admit my feelings. She was still looking at me with shock but that was starting to be won over by embarrassment.

"Edward...I'm sorry. I never meant for you to ever know that. Yes, I did think you were like that, a bit more so in fact, but I didn't want anyone else to know. I'm certain you aren't-" I interrupted again, "I am like that. I've realized that, I never meant to be like that, but I was. Now, if you please, what's wrong?" And now shock was the prime emotion registering on her face.

"You aren't going to go away are you?"

"No, no I'm not, not until you tell me what's wrong. But Bella, if you really want me to get out of your life, I will, I swear, just say it." I was signing my own death warrant.

"No, I think I do need someone to talk to, but Edward, I would like to firmly tell you that I really don't think I am the sort of woman that would ever make you happy, we are too...different." That hurt again, but I knew she was wrong, and if I could manage it, I'd prove it to her.


	11. Chapter 11

**_Yes people, I am updating. Stop acting so surprised! You, person points finger at reader stop foaming at the mouth. Has it really been that long? Don't answer that. Anyway, yes it is finally out. Sorry for the delay. _****_Ok, enough mindless musings._**

**_Here's the chapter._**

**_There is a surprise in the author's note at the bottom, read that after you read this._**

**_Yes, I do know that it is extremely short, I am sorry, but if you wanted this tonight, than this was the best I could do. Once again, sorry._**

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**_

* * *

"Ron, excuse me, Ronald Compton, is...was my best friend, we grew up together, it hurt so much when my parents told me that he was leaving, because I would have to leave Ron, Ronald, sorry." So this Ron definitely means something to her. My only hope was replaced with anguish, Bella obviously...loved him.

But I loved her, even now, even more so now. I would try to comfort her. "Go on. What happened?" I tried to keep my voice soft, my eyes gentle.

She seemed startled the way I was acting. From the way her dark eyes looked up at me through her tears, startled, as if she expected me to act angry, rough, or just simply despicable. That trouble me, that she expected so little of me. Even so, she seemed to be a little more comfortable, not relaxed, but less rigid with me than before.

She started to speak again, and as the thoughts came back to her she started sobbing again. "He...he...was in the...war. He said that he didn't want to leave his family, he didn't want to leave me. But he had turned 21, the Draft took him." The Draft. Every male had to go into the war once turned 21, it had started during 1917; it was always one of the main worries of my mother, that the war wouldn't finish by the time I was 21. I was 17, soon to be a man, I had 4 years left where the war would hopefully end. I could still see it in my mother's eyes though, sometimes when she looked at me, my little intuition came into play and I imagined a grave with my name on it, my mother standing before it.

Lost in thought as I was, I barely noticed when Bella continued with her story. "He was killed last month. A bombshell. I just still think of what was going on in my life during his final hours, when I was laughing with Stasya, he was breathing his last breathe. I feel guilty, Edward, I feel guilty that I should have been so happy and he was dying." She only felt guilty? Could it only be guilt? But she continued, shattering the faint hope that I hadn't even realized was rising in my chest.

"But it's not just the guilt. I miss him so much, I miss how we would talk, how he would tease me, how his big laugh would rumble around the room for minutes. I just can't stop the memories. Happy times as children, laughing, playing, joking. He was my best friend, and now he's...gone.." On that last word her voice shook, throbbing with emotion, her own pain.

"I am heartily sorry for your loss. If there is anything I can do, I will gladly do it. You must really be in a lot of grief, Bella." My voice was formal, but I meant what I said, I would try to help her any way that I could. I didn't like it that my voice was becoming stiff, formal, but it was my own subconscious way to lessen the pain. You could hide anything behind manners.

"No, thank you Edward. I will be alright." Her voice betrayed her, she would never be alright.

"I am sorry, that I had been so rude earlier. I just had no idea that you could be...sincere. Stasya had told me so much about...you. I really am sorry. I misjudged you." She was apologizing? Did she mean it? Was this my second chance?

"No, I am sorry. Stasya was absolutely right about me. I should have been more open to people, not so solitary. Don't blame Stasya for any of this, but if you could, tell her I am sorry, I don't think she would rather talk to me right now." There was a spark of laughter on her face, an upturned corner of her beautiful, full lips, a tiny sparkle in her eye, but that was soon covered up again by sadness.

"I will. But I really am sorry."

"You don't need to be sorry at all, my fault entirely, I have resolved to do better, I want to be a good person, it's simply a tad complicated.

That remark got an actual giggle from her. I rejoiced! At least we seemed to be friends now, it was promising, at least I would be near her.

"I can't imagine what Aunt Nettie feels though. She must be devastated." Her words brought the laughter from her eyes again.

"Why would your aunt feel more pain than you? He was your best friend." What was this?

She looked up at me in surprise, than in mortification as her pale cheeks were flooded with a beautiful crimson blush. "Oh! No, no, never! Edward, I think you were under the false impression that I was in love with my...cousin."

* * *

**_Ha! Sorry guys but your reviews were priceless! Bella's crush! Oh wow._**

**_Anyway, yes, on to the surprise. I ask you readers? What is this story about? You readers automatically say about how Edward and Bella find each other in 1918. Well, that isn't all of it. This story is also about drimroll JAMES! As in the actual James, THE JAMES! Yes, Edward's friend is THE JAMES! But I won't be able to really get to him in this story. _**


	12. Chapter 12

**_I know, this was amazingly quick for me but I want to stop dragging this story out. I want it to be finished. _**

**_So the best way to do this is for you guys to keep nagging me to update. Kay?_**

**_Sorry this is short, I wanted to get it out tonight._**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight._**

* * *

My heart was soaring. Bella seemed to be actually liking me as a friend. We were still in the park, sitting together in a more comfortable silence.

"Bella? Do you have any idea who Stasya might fancy?" The question came out of nowhere, but now that I was fine, I had to make sure that my friend would be ok as well.

Bella had a puzzled expression. "Stasya? Edward? You...?" Was it just my imagination, or was there an undercurrent of some emotion in her tone? But more importantly, she thought that I liked Stasya? How could she? Stasya was all right but a bit too angry let's say for me, James however seemed to like that.

"No, oh no no. As much of a wonderful person as I'm sure Stasya is, I don't like her in that type of way. But I have a friend-", she interrupted me with a tone of relief in her voice, "James." I looked at her with a puzzled expression. "How did you...?" My eyes searched hers for the answer.

She looked at me, blushing. "Stasya...told me that he was the only one that you had even tried being friends with...besides...me." And the awkwardness was back, I could feel it in the air around us, how Bella knew how I felt for her, she knew that I hadn't reached out to anyone but James before she came.

But I had to continue, I had to help my friend. "James, he likes Stasya, very much. He actually told her, but she got bad at him. She seems to think him like me, for being my friend. He is so...broken about her rejection," that was putting it mildly, I took another breath and continued, "I want to help my friend. Do you think there is any way that you can see what her feelings are for him?" She looked up at me, amazed it seemed, for going to such measures to care for my friend. I would have to fix this.

"Do you really think me such a monster?" I murmured. "Are you really that astonished that I care so for my friend?" My voice sounded hurt to my own ears, and I was hurt.

Bella blushed even more, her face now had the color of a cherry. Her voice was a quiet whisper. "I'm sorry. I still think of you as the person that I marked you to be. I can't label people, they surprise me so often. But I'm just happy that I was right about you." She stopped, horrified that she had uttered that last sentence. Her hands were over her mouth, her brown eyes wide, while my heart soared.

"What was that?" My tone was light, teasing, but my voice betrayed me, I urgently needed her answer.

She admitted defeat with a deeper blush, she didn't seem the type to create a lie very well, she was honest, I liked that. Her own tone was soft, hesitant, testing the air to see if her words would be welcome, "It's just that, before Stasya told me her own version of you, I thought you seemed, kind. I saw it in your eyes when you were talking to James I imagine, but the first time I saw you, I imagined that you were a good person." On her first impression, she actually liked me? She had thought me kind?

"Well, I haven't really shown you if I can be a good person now, have I?" I wanted to make it up to her.

She looked down, a bit sheepishly, while she replied, "No, you have. Just by coming and comforting me. Thank you, Edward. And I will ask Stasya about James. I'm happy that I got this chance to see the real you, show it to people, it's very charming." She locked my eyes with hers for that second after she spoke. Warm brown met calm green. A thousand thoughts passed through my head in that instant. Bella, she just kept looking at me with her big, beautiful brown eyes.

A bird chirping brought me out of my trance. I looked up at it with Bella. It was a robin, the sign of spring approaching, the sign of new bird, the sign of new hope.

With that last thought, I did the single most reckless thing I've ever done in my life. I kissed Isabella Swan. It was soft, a chaste kiss, but still amazing.

Before she really had a time to react and get out of her shock, I broke the kiss and left.

My entire being was on fire, it was amazing, a simple kiss, but one that I will always remember as my first kiss, my first kiss with Bella. I hoped it wouldn't be the last.

And with that in my head, I walked away, awaiting the time that school would end so I could talk to James.

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	13. Chapter 13

**_Yes, I'm on an updating spree, normally, you guys don't see me with this story for at least 2 weeks minimum. And you got 3 updates in almost 2 weeks! Don't get spoiled, I just want to finish this story a lot._**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight._**

**_This is kind of a filler chapter, nothing much happens, Edward just collecting his thoughts, but it is still crucial to the story otherwise I wouldn't have wasted my time writing this._**

* * *

I. Kissed. Bella. My thoughts were running around in circles, racing against everything, acknowledging nothing but the simple and yet amazing paradise that was Bella's lips on mine. This feeling was absolutely amazing, I couldn't stop thinking about it, and I didn't want to.

I was walking away from the park, away from Bella, there was something wrong with this picture. It was instinct now, go where Bella is, stay with Bella, don't let Bella out of your sight; all rules that I would happily oblige to, but what if Bella didn't like my rashness? What if she didn't enjoy the feel of her lips on mine? She had to though, she could have broken the kiss or moved out of my reach, but she didn't.

Judging by the sun's light that was filtering through the warming spring air, it was almost time for school to end. I could tell James everything. He would be happy for me, to be sure, and I would also tell him about Stasya and how Bella had promised to talk to her, the future looked bright indeed.

I waited for James, near the entrance to the school, but even though I was there waiting for him, my mind was miles away, let's make that years away. It was time to look at the coming bright future with a few questions.

What did I know?

I knew that Bella obviously harbored some feelings for me, even if they were only friendly. But maybe, with the proper encouragement, those feelings could grow into something much more. We were almost at marriageable age now, and there was no time to waste. I wanted Bella to be with me forever, to have a future together, I wanted to marry her. But I wanted her to marry me because she loved me as I loved her, I could work with that, I would win her over, I had to.

How would I do it?

I would show her that her first impression, the one not tainted by Stasya's gossip, was correct. I would show her that I was and will be kind, caring, a good person. I would have to stop being so distant with everyone, talk to people besides James. I didn't like the idea, I was a loner by nature and I enjoyed my solitude, but I didn't want to be without Bella either, so I would try anything for her, her happiness was my ecstasy.

What about James?

Once Stasya found out that James really did love her, everything would be fine, their personalities matched each other's, and I don't think that James could love Stasya as he does without any feeling from her. Maybe, once Stasya found out that James was a great person, she would learn to like him, to love him.

I didn't realize how long my thoughts had been running around but by the time I was pulled out of my stupor, James was waving a hand in front of me, students streaming out the doors behind him. James was peering at me with a puzzled expression, wondering no doubt where I had been.

"Edward? Are you alright? Where were you?" He was worried for me, his voice told me that. I looked into his eyes, still seeing rage and countless other emotions, still that unnerving power, but he was trying to keep it in check, I could see that much. His voice scared me though, it still seemed lifeless.

I took a deep breath, readying myself to tell my best friend about my only love, and about the huge misunderstanding that had happened. "James, I just saw Bella, everything that Stasya and she was telling us wasn't true. Bella likes me, Stasya wasn't saying the truth-", he cut me off angrily. I looked up at him, and he was angry indeed. James spoke though gritted teeth, almost whispering but his face was black with fury. "I am happy that you and Bella have found each other, Edward. Now, if you please, don't drag Stasya into this, and do not call her a liar." His eyes were black along with his face. The fury was still evident in his eyes, but there seemed to be sadness mixed into the deep well that the hollow in his eyes made. But I was staggered, he was mad at me, all because he thought that I had called Stasya a liar, after everything, he didn't want harm to come to her.

I wanted to assure James that I wasn't insulting Stasya, I cherished James's friendship very much. But before I could speak, he cut me off, angrily, and stomped away. I wanted to follow him, to go after him and explain myself to him but he looked so angry, and for the first time in my life, I was afraid, I was very afraid. There was so much more to James than just a simple person, no, James was complex, but he had a mystery, something lurking beneath the surface, and that something seemed very dangerous right now.

I was afraid, I was very afraid.

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_**I'm going to throw out a wild guess here that this story will have about 5 more chapters, that's it then, maybe. The biggest thing, Bella and Edward, has kind of happened.**_

**_TwilightSnowStar_**


	14. Chapter 14

**_Ok people, here is the next chapter. Unlike the last one, something very important happens in this chapter. Many people have reviewed to me about what would happen if something like this came up, I told them to be patient, patience has finally been rewarded._**

**_Also, there will be the mention of one very important character here, see if you can spot him! _**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight._**

**_This story is finally going to come to an end, it has been a long time with this. But don't worry. After this, well, you'll see._**

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James's reaction had shocked me, and unsettled me. He just needed time to calm down, I knew that, but I still had an ominous feeling that something could go very, very wrong. I pushed the feeling away though, and silently walked the Chicago streets towards my home, alone for the first time in a long time. I was lonely, James had gone to stampede off alone, Bella was probably waiting for Stasya. I didn't like being lonely, I had never realized it before. But now, I had friends, or at least, I think I did with James. It's amazing, I had lived my life in so much solitude, thinking that I wasn't interested in company, but now that I found people who I counted as friends, and in Bella's case much more. I missed them now, and for that I was miserable.

I let myself into my house, silently closing the door behind me. I could hear Mother gossiping with Mrs. Snow, and I heard the scratch of Father's pen against some document. Because of some motherly instinct, my mother sensed me the second I came in and greeted me from the kitchen, loudly. "Edward!"

But then Mrs. Snow started coughing, she couldn't seem to stop. I heard my mother go to her and then she yelled my name again, and my mother never yells, something had to be wrong.

I was consumed with urgent need for my family, something was wrong. I ran into the kitchen where my mother was supporting Mrs. Snow. The normally rosy tint of being near the ovens all day was gone from the cook's face, indeed, her face had an almost bluish cast. The usual grandmotherly look in her eyes was gone, replaced with something that terrified me for the third time that day. But the thing that stopped me in my tracks was the fact that she was coughing up blood, there were the spots of red over her white apron. I was horrified. Mrs. Snow, the kind servant who had been my friend since infancy was very sick, and my strange sense knew that this was somehow only the beginning.

I heard my father come up behind me, staring in shock at Mrs. Snow. My mother was still supporting her, but she was hurriedly talking to us, her green eyes sending us signs of urgency. "I didn't think it would be like this. I knew Mrs. Greene was saying that the flu season has been going on for a bit longer than usual, but I didn't think anything of it, no one here had gotten it." She was crying now, tears coming out of her once warm green eyes. My father went over to comfort her, putting his arms around her, pulling her slightly away from our cook. "My dear, you couldn't have known, but we need to get Mrs. Snow to a hospital, we don't want to catch it, and we don't want to spread it, alright?" He kissed her temple, calming her slightly. "She'll be under the best of care. I hear that there is a doctor named Dr. Cullen who is apparently an amazing physician, she'll be fine." His words spread waves of comfort through me, as only a father's could, but I could also feel that he was lying, he knew that there was a chance that Mrs. Snow might not get better, we had never seen a case of influenza quite like this before. There were rumors of course, of people dying from this new flu, but it was in the poorer part of the city, and death wasn't uncommon, but it looked as if we should've paid more attention to those rumors.

I could only watch, stricken, as men from the hospital came to take Mrs. Snow away. My mother had us all take hot baths, where we were ordered to scrub ourselves thoroughly, so that we would avoid catching the now dangerous disease, but we both knew, we had spent so much time with Mrs. Snow that it was near impossible that the sickness didn't already lie dormant in us, but we could hope that it would not take us, that we could fight it without reaching the level that Mrs. Snow had so obviously come to.

After having scrubbed myself till I was red and raw, Mother inscribed in us the rules we were now to follow, so that maybe this could be avoided. "No one is to leave this house unless absolutely necessary, we do not want to spread anything that we might have caught, and likewise we do not wish to catch this again from someone from outside. We have enough food and such in the pantry for awhile." My mother had turned paranoid in her wish to keep us safe. I kept that thought to myself, however, as she continued, "If anyone is to sneeze or cough at all, I want to know of it immediately after you have washed your hands with hot water and soap. If you feel strange or dizzy at all, tell me, it could be an early form of the influenza." She gave us more instructions, saying again that we weren't to leave the house, that father could just take a vacation from his practice for a bit, and that I could use a break from school but that Mother would make sure that I would be learning something.

Once again I was numb. I would not be able to see Bella for a month, if my mother had her way, we would never get out of this house. She meant well, but separating me from Bella would cause my death. And what was worse, I had no idea how Bella thought of how I kissed her, and James would still be angry at me. Thank you Mother. This was the absolute perfect time to not be able to leave me home, good job.

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**_I can't come up with anything to say right now except REVIEW!_**


	15. Chapter 15

**_I know this chapter is short but I just wanted you guys to know that I was still alive. _**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight._**

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Time passed slowly. There wasn't much to do; that I wanted to do anyway. I wanted to talk to Bella, know what she felt about our kiss. Every night I had had dreams about that moment, about how her soft lips had felt against mine, the amazing shock that I could feel passing from my memory.

Mother was terrified of this new sickness, and had been going on a cleaning frenzy ever since Mrs. Snow had been discharged at the hospital. Anything and everything was cleaned mercilessly by my mother, so much that some of the furniture was being worn away, but that didn't stop my mother.

We received daily reports about Mrs. Snow from the hospital, and it worried us. She wasn't getting worse, but she wasn't getting better either. The hospital had said that she wasn't the only one with this strange influenza, but it was just so unnatural, the victims were said to have an almost blue complexion and continuous coughing, and nothing seemed to really be working. By three days the hospital themselves had said that this was no ordinary sickness, and more patients were coming every day with the same symptoms.

I missed school, my mother was ruthless in her lessons, but I most missed the people at school. I had never gotten to make it up to James, and I never got to know how Bella felt.

My life was monotonous as I waited for time to pass so that my mother would give up this quarantine. She seemed to be pleased that none of us were showing signs of the sickness and I was hoping that she would release us early.

A week, one long and torturous week, had passed by the time we heard a rapid barrage of knocks from our brass knocker on our door. My mother had been wary of visitors, and I could see it in her troubled green eyes as she cautiously headed towards the door. I could understand her fear in a way, since it was perfectly reasonable to not want someone to bring this epidemic to us when we had tried our hardest to stay away from it.

After I had heard the door being opened, I immediately heard a shriek of joy from my mother. I rushed to see what had caused her this happiness, and to my immense happiness, found paradise on my doorstep with a sheepish smile.

There was Bella, and her mother, but my eyes were for Bella only. She carried a small tin of something and was staring down at her small, white hands wrapped around the container.

My mother was ecstatic to see her friend, and I felt a pang of guilt as I remembered how I had blamed my mother when I had never known that she didn't like this as much as I did.

"Oh, Elizabeth, are you alright? Bella has said that she hasn't seen Edward for days and I was worried when I missed you for so long. Where have you been?" Mrs. Swan was on a rampage to discover what had happened to her missing friend.

"Oh Renee, I missed you! I am fine but our cook has recently become ill with influenza and I didn't want to risk anyone of the family catching or spreading it." Mother answered her with her eyes downcast, and I knew that was afraid of her friend leaving but was also afraid of the influenza spreading.

But Bella's mother was unperturbed, and made it quite visible to us. "Oh Elizabeth, you've been stuck in your home all alone for at least a week, so surely you have nothing. And you can no doubt that neither Bella nor I have any sickness whatsoever, we are perfectly healthy."

My mother was overjoyed; she had been searching for an excuse to allow Mrs. Swan and Bella into the house, and now Mrs. Swan had supplied the perfect loophole.

"Well, Bella, Renee, come in." And Mother stepped aside and led an angel into our house.


	16. Chapter 16

**_I'm BACK! _**

**_I got a lot of good writing done during these days so now I'm telling you that the sequel to Supposed to be Gone is up! Or, will be up in about five minutes! It will take a long time for me to manage updates with all the stories I have going now, but I think I'll make it._**

**_Tell me what you think of this chapter!_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight._**

* * *

I was aware of everything; of the squeaking of the wooden floor as they came inside the house.

Bella herself seemed quiet, shy, the way I noticed she normally was around me. I didn't want her to be this way though, I wanted her to be able to talk and laugh with me. I wanted her to be comfortable around me, like I tried to be around her.

Bella's mother bustled in with a swirl of laughter, red skirts, and chocolate curls. I never noticed at that dinner what Renee was actually like, it had been such a formal event and I still only remembered Bella. I never actually knew that my mother was such good friends with Renee, if they had shown it, I had been completely oblivious.

Bella followed her mother, her face still turned towards the floor with the tin still grasped tightly.

"-and Mary Hawkins has been sick, along with her servants. Honestly, Elizabeth, this thing that half the city has caught along with your cook just came out of nowhere! I'm lucky so far that Charles or Isabella hasn't caught it."

"Stasya too of course, right Mother?" We all peered to look at Bella, who had been so quiet before. But now she looked up at all of us, watching us staring at her.

"Why, yes dear! I am absolutely ecstatic that she hasn't caught this dreadful bug." She nodded to Bella after her little speech, and turned back to my mother to continue her conversation.

While Bella and I just looked down at the floor awkwardly, I lifted my face to peer at her cautiously. She didn't seem anxious, just a bit shy, and of course awkward. Her beautiful pale face was flushed beautifully, and her soft pink lips looked like she had been biting them in worry, that only made them look so very red. I yearned to touch those lips with my own again, and for a much longer time than I had before. I almost blushed at my own strange and somewhat vulgar thoughts.

It was in those moments that I was peering at her, that Bella raised her own face and allowed her eyes to meet mine. She still blushed but Bella gave me a tiny smile, full of sweetness and maybe something else? I wasn't going to guess what that was seeing as my other assumptions haven't really seemed to get along that well. Anyway, Bella's smile gave me hope, more than before, because I at least knew that there was no hatred or ill wishing in that smile or those soft doe eyes. I gave her a smile in return, a crooked smile that I tried to convey all my feelings through.

"Well, how is James Richards? Edward has been completely desolate without his dear friend. Has he been well too," my mother inquired of Mrs. Swan, breaking mine and Bella's gazing at each other.

I swerved my head to face Mrs. Swan and my mother; this was one answer that I was desperate to hear. I remembered James' mood before, and I sincerely hoped nothing had happened. James had seemed desperate and I was frightened of what might happen when he was forced to confront that desperation.

Renee's smile faded at that question. A look of melancholy and pity came into her, and I could tell that she bore bad news. Chills raced up my spine and my entire body was taut, waiting for the answer. But then Bella came beside me and put her small hand in mine, and I was completely befuddled with the feeling I had whenever I thought about her, only stronger. I loved her, and this one act of hers gave me even greater hope than before.

But then Mrs. Swan started speaking, and my incredible mood vanished into my concerned feelings for my feelings, although Bella's hand still anchored me and allowed me to think clearer.

Renee shook her head sadly, "That poor boy, he ran away. I don't know where, but I think it might have something to do with his family; his father beat his mother you know. Later, I found out that he used to hit James, poor boy. I can't imagine how the lad could've dealt with it."

My mother gasped, her hand fluttering to her mouth in a look of complete shock. "I never knew! How did you find out? Has anything been done?"

I was shocked by this news too. I never suspected either, but suddenly it seemed to make sense. That strange determination and power that I found in James, it had to have resulted from this abuse, and his unstable nature that surprised me so often. I waited for the rest of the story.

"It seems James couldn't take it any more. His mother recently has taken ill with this flu, and that seemed to just be the breaking point. He announced it to everyone on a busy street corner what I have just told you. Then he left. Charles is holding an investigation for Mr. Richards about if he really did beat his son and wife."

"That is so sad! James always seemed so very nice and calm, I never suspected anything like this! Do you have any idea of where he is?" My mother seemed to have tears in her eyes.

Bella's hand squeezed mine further, calming me down slightly.

Renee continued, "No one has any idea where he could be. James wasn't exactly a very outgoing boy. To tell you the truth, Edward seemed to be the only person fairly close to James."

Everyone turned to me, watching expectantly.

I gave a shrug, making my displeasure plainly seen on my face.

"I have no clue in the slightest where James could be, he was my best friend but we never talked about anything like that."

Renee nodded her head in sympathy. "It's alright Edward, James will be fine, he seems like the sort who can survive."

If only she knew.

We were suddenly all distracted by a loud thump coming from the other side of the house. My mother and Renee traded alarmed looks, but both rushed out to meet the noise, and I heard another thud come from where they had rushed off to; leaving Bella and me to run off to see the origins of everything.


	17. Chapter 17

**_I know it's been awhile again. I'm sorry guys, but I'm getting so caught up in the Phantom of the Opera fandom. _**

**_Anyway, don't be surprised if you think that my writing is changing. I'm trying to experiment with different styles and I'm trying to come up with my own style of writing._**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight._**

* * *

My heart was pounding in my chest, its beat surely was palpable to those around me, but as Bella and I turned the corner with our clasped hands still between us, my heartbeat was suddenly the last thing I expected my mother to hear. There on the floor lay my father, the usually calm and neat man. His face was white as a sheet and there was a strange glassiness to his eyes that seemed to gaze right through us all. I was only dimly aware of my grip on Bella's hand tightening, barely noticed my mother's hushed sobs, and had no recognition of Mrs. Swan's murmurings of condolences and thoughts of medical care.

I was aware of only one thing; my father was going to die.

It was a simple fact, and I felt calm as I said it in my head, too calm. I was like ice, so stoic and cold that no one could tell that I was truly made of flesh and blood. I knew that this was merely shock, and my mind automatically put myself into this mode so I wouldn't have to face this great burden and grief. I was grateful.

But then everything clicked together, everything suddenly made so much more sense; I was surprised I had never noticed it before.

Epidemic.

Plague.

Sickness.

Whatever you wished to call it, this was an outbreak, I remember when Mrs. Snow had these same symptoms, how everyone was talking about all the sickness in the city.

Disease was an unbiased master and death even more so. People were going to die, and many whom I had thought of so fondly would be in the chaotic throes of this. It didn't matter who you were or what your situation was, you had the same chance of receiving this as anyone else.

I had always thought of my father as always being there; as natural to the world as the sky and the cobblestones of the road. I had unconsciously thought of him as unbreakable; that he would never be taken from our family and always share in the joy that was my family.

I was no better than a child really in that assumption, and now I was being thrust out of that comfortable naivety that had so encompassed me before.

I would die too; by the looks of things, sometime soon perhaps.

I was snapped out of my morbid musings by someone pushing at me, trying to gain my senses back to the mortal plane.

It was a girl, a woman almost. She had dark brown eyes and chocolate eyes. Her lips were such a delectable shade of pink…

...Bella….

I was back to the cruel reality of the situation. I could now hear my mother's sobbing again, and Mrs. Swans offers of pity.

A quick glance at Bella's worried gaze told me that it would be I who would take charge in the situation. My father was deathly ill and we had all been exposed to this contagion.

"Mother…" She kept crying; murmuring my father's name over and over again.

"Mother…" My voice was louder this time, hoping to catch her attention, but I only succeeded in having Mrs. Swan and Bella look up towards me.

"Mother!" She heard that. My mother peered up at me with red eyes, the skin around them puffy and irritated.

"We must take him to a hospital. All of us, everyone, needs to go there. We have been exposed, and Father should be seen to immediately." My voice almost got caught on the painful implications that I was trying to convey.

It apparently worked, as I heard a sharp intake of breathe coming from Mrs. Swan's direction. Bella merely squeezed my hand and looked to me with a worried gaze. I drew strength from her heavenly touch for a few moments, until my mother shakily stood and stared at me square in the eye, her green gaze meeting my own.

Her moment of grief seemed to be over, but I knew that she was still screaming inside. But now she appeared to take over the situation, and I was extremely grateful for the opportunity to shed this façade of being strong, and being able to curl up inside myself and allow someone else to take charge. I was still a child in so many ways. But I suddenly didn't care anymore. I just wanted this huge nightmare to be over, and for things to return to normal.

And then there was Bella.

I certainly didn't want her to catch this either. Indeed, I could hardly bare even the thought of her being lost to me in a place that I could not easily follow. But if she was lost to me, stuck amongst the stars that would surely burn brighter with her presence, then I wouldn't hesitate to end my own life.

If I was lucky, it would never have to come to that.

I wasn't aware of anything else really as my mother dialed the telephone and spoke to the operator.


	18. Chapter 18

**_This was supposed to come out tomorrow, but I couldn't wait that long. Anyway, I am officially back, most probably never noticed I was gone, the way I update!_**

**_This is one of my longer chapters, and nothing much happens, it's a filler, almost an apology._**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight._**

They came. Men in white uniforms with handkerchiefs over their faces came carrying a stretcher between them. They didn't want to touch the contaminated. They were on the verge of dropping the thing and running, but the thoughts of their families and the pay they would surely receive kept them at their job. I don't know how I knew this.

It was…different…and difficult seeing my father simply being carted away. As if he wasn't someone of importance, the center of the universe, my father. But now what would happen to us?

It was hard to imagine, the fact that I may die. The future was always something that I didn't doubt. I had always wanted to go to the war in Europe, the one they called the Great War. I couldn't imagine anything better than gaining the glory of battle that surrounded me. It had only been recently that I had encountered thoughts of a much more…pleasing future. What would it be like…to marry Bella? A single shiver of pleasure at the thought broke me away from the despair of the situation. We were only now in fact being driven to the hospital to be checked for symptoms of this disease that was spreading.

But in my mind, I was safe, as I was thinking. I was dreaming of a future that didn't have sickness or death or even sadness. To me, a life married to Bella was something beyond that. It was an actual thing made of sunshine, laughter, flowers, and unending happiness. I would be able to provide for her, for our future family. Wouldn't a thing like that be grand? To be permitted the simple pleasures of life with a wife and children? I would treasure them, cherish every hour, each little second would be something that would encompass more joy than all the earth could contain on its surface. The city, nay, the world would be witness to my ecstasy, the undying happiness that was a life with Bella.

My happy illusions were interrupted roughly by a hand shaking me back to the conscious world. I looked up with dazed eyes, and smiled sleepily at Bella.

"Edward," she called softly, gently, "Edward we're here. Come on…" Her sentence trailed off as her babbles finished. What was she talking about?

"Dear, where are we? Who's with Thomas and Mary?" Where were our children; why was I stuck with my wife in an automobile? It felt like I had fallen asleep and as a result, I felt calm and refreshed. But my wife was not, why was Bella not sharing in my serenity? She seemed so worried about something. Her white brow was furrowed, and I could see strands of her beautiful mahogany hair escaping from its braided crown atop her head.

"Edward, who are Thomas and Mary? Edward, you fell asleep. Come now, we're at the hospital, are you alright? Do you need to be checked for anything other than the influenza?" Bella's voice was hurried, alarmed. The word 'hospital' brought everything rushing back to me. My beautiful reverie was banished to the corners of my mind as our situation flooded into me once more.

I didn't want it to. I yearned for that dream world that I knew would never exist in this world. This world would never be as I saw it as a place of peace and beauty and kindness.

And then the embarrassment came. I had called Bella 'Dear', I had been referring to the children that I saw us with, I had been silently referring to her as my wife. It was a disaster, such forwardness so soon after I had barely managed to mend the trouble that came out of my arrogance of before.

Somehow, I had to fix this mishap before it became big; it seemed a small breach in the world of decorum, but I wasn't taking chances, losing whatever hold on Bella I had was not worth being careless.

Fortunately for me, Bella's anxiety over what we may find here had already taken the thoughts from her mind, and I thanked God.

As she had mentioned before, we had arrived at the hospital, I saw that now. I could also see the white-clad men carrying my father inside. Once again, I felt my world shift, almost collapse. As if these great, huge columns had always held it up, but now they were tumbling to the earth, bringing everything down with them.

But then Bella grabbed my hand. My world was suddenly righted just a little bit. Her warm grip brought me back to the present world once more. I could feel her drag me inside the building, but I was still temporarily befuddled by her touch.

Ahead of us, I could make out my mother and Mrs. Swan talking to a nurse, who then led them down a hallway that seemed jammed with people who couldn't fit in the rooms, laying on stretchers, screaming and moaning, some chanting and speaking to no one. There was a little girl; she couldn't have been any more than five-years-old. She lay on a stretcher, almost peacefully, but then her eyes opened, and I saw that her nose was a horrible inflamed red, while her face carried the slight bluish tinge that Mrs. Snow had. Her blue eyes were bloodshot and her golden hair was shorn. She seemed to be the youngest person in the hospital. This little girl seemed so frail, and so pitiful, and then she opened her mouth and started singing.

"_I had a little bird,_

_Its name was Enza._

_I opened the window,_

_And in-flu-enza."_

It was the single most chilling thing that I had ever heard. This little girl, singing; her voice had the strangest quality, it was raspy and melodic at the same time. It was detached from the world and yet still managed to have a hold on all around her. The words themselves made no sense.

It was then that my strange sense took hold. The girl herself was showing me memories. I saw a little girl, with long gold hair skipping rope with two other girls. They kept chanting the rhyme in time with their jumps. The girl wanted to be back there. She actually thought she was still on the street, skipping rope to a silly rhyme. She thought that if she said the words enough, she really would be there. The words themselves gave them so much fun and joy, they must be magic! She treated them like the incantation she thought they were.

But to everyone else, after her bout of coherency, she seemed to be babbling in the deliriousness of her fever. I saw one of the nurses shake her head with pity, before wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. I didn't want to know the thoughts going through that woman's head right then and there.

Judging from the way that Bella was now clinging to my hand, I felt that she had been shaken by the little girl who was now staring up at the ceiling with glassy eyes and mumblings. I wanted to help her, make her feel secure, I squeezed her hand, no words would've helped her more than that, I knew. As a reward, I gained a smile that shone through her eyes and face, more payment than I had ever wanted.

I ignored the bubbles that were starting to rise in my stomach, and pulled Bella towards the door that my mother was still heading for, ahead of us. She was still walking down the hallway, passing the people on stretchers, those who were screaming out and reaching towards anything and everything with outstretched fingers, and those who simply stared, too stunned or sick to move, too caught to breathe.

At the end of the cluttered hallway, still being overturned with patients and nurses and doctors, there was a door that had a simple sign engraved with the words, 'Dr. Carlisle Cullen, M.D.'

Those words, carved into the wood, seemed more final than anything else I had seen. Those words seemed to be imbedded into the wood by all the suffering the doctor had seen, all those grievances, banding together to mark their attempted savior's place. The letters seemed deep; I didn't want to think on what that might mean.

My mother was still ahead of us with Mrs. Swan, the nurse still leading them. The nurse approached the door with a cautious air. It was a strange mixture of anticipation and anxiety that clouded her features. She feared whatever was in the office, and yet her life's happiness depended on seeing whatever was inside.

But then her face cleared, just a little. Yet that tiny scrap of clarity steadied her shaking hand and forced it to knock on the door.

And a divine voice granted us entrance.

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**_Well? What did you think? Should I go back into my Hiatus seclusion? Or should I keep this up still?_**

**_TwilightSnowStar_**


	19. Chapter 19

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight._**

One of my first memories was being dragged into the family church and having to wait while the minister talked for an unknown amount of time. It was so dreadfully boring, considering the fact that half the time I don't even think he knew what he was talking about in the sermon. But there were times when going to church was a tiny bit bearable, and that was when the choir sang. The church seemed to actually be under divine influence, as if God himself was directing the choir to attain heights suitable to honor Him. I remember wondering if angels' voices were as beautiful as those were.

This voice was nothing like that in the least.

This voice didn't merely sound pretty to a little child; it seemed to convey hope and perhaps a little bit of kindness in the grand tones. It was that voice which seemed so terribly beautiful, that it almost hurt to stand hearing it. I had the urge to crush my hands to my ears, knowing that that sound wasn't something for the likes of me to hear. From the way Bella's hand was taut in mine, I could tell she felt the same.

My mother was stunned as well as Bella's mother; neither expected a voice on something of this incredible magnitude that was now presented to us. Only the nurse seemed to hold onto her sanity, but there passed through her eyes something that could only be described as supreme ecstasy.

Nevertheless, my mother entered into the domain of the creature that could inflict such bouts of wonder in us. I was almost frightened for her, and because of that, I rushed into the room, only to be stopped yet again by another, more tangible vision.

Inside the office a man was seated on a leather chair, his face in his hands in what seemed a pose of exhaustion, hands supporting face down head, trembling arms, and an amazing pallor of the skin. Yet, this pose seemed too much like a pose, practiced and perfected as an actor who does his job too well, but then the man raised his eyes. Inside those strange golden depths was something that justified his practiced pose. His eyes were filled with worse tiredness than what he was trying to show. His mind and heart were tired, and he seemed utterly defeated to the very bone.

With his head now raised towards us, I saw that he was attractive, blond hair, golden eyes, the purple shadows underneath those eyes, and his face itself. I became unreasonably jealous, grasping Bella's hand and mentally growling at this man who had activated my instincts to protect. Bella simply gave my hand another reassuring squeeze, realizing my dilemma, and soothing me once more. I once again wondered what I had ever done without her.

My eyes turned back to this man. I no longer felt threatened, simply pity. This grim specter seemed as if he wanted nothing better to do than just die. It was in his look, his strange gold eyes seemed forever cast down even while he was looking straight towards you. His face was marble, but who would ever want to be marble? This was what the poor man's entire spirit portrayed and yet he longed to save others. I saw in him an unrequited need to help people. This was unmistakably Dr. Cullen.

The nurse had already retreated outside the office again, giving us privacy, but ready to enter again eagerly in less than a moment's notice, now I knew why. My mother stood in a way that displayed her shock for the world to see, and I could see Mrs. Swan practically drooling. However, before I could get reasonably worried, my mother brought herself back together, taking charge of her husband's fate…and our own.

"Dr. Cullen, I am Mrs. Mason, my son Edward, Mrs. Swan, and her daughter Isabella. We are here on an urgent matter concerning my husband, Mr. Edward Mason." Mother's firm voice conveyed her control of the situation once more.

Dr. Cullen's eyes closed, as he mentally prepared himself for what surely all doctors must go through on at least a daily basis—the onslaught of a patient's concerned relatives wanting assurances.

"Mrs. Mason, I regret to inform you that I have seen to your husband just now. I am sorry to tell you that—," he stopped, not sure of how to word it in a way that wouldn't bring a multitude of tears from the lady. And still on he strode, "Mrs. Mason, I have seen this epidemic go through so many people, many don't last as long as we would hope. Your husband, all things considered is doing very well, but his chances are lessoning…" Dr. Cullen's voices faded away, aware of the stricken look on Mother's face. He probably and correctly concluded that it was better to just stop speaking. What was one supposed to do when you are told your father will die sooner than not? It was then that I knew, I would never be a doctor, or even indirectly involved in the medical profession.

My mother had the look of a mad woman. Her normally pristine and neat appearance was banished to be replaced with a desperate look in her green eyes, her reddish hair was in a frenzy, escaping its neat bun and seeming to fall wildly around her head. With her hair curling around her face and her eyes glinting brightly she was a fearsome sight to behold. And yet, somehow, she held a semblance of composure. It was…chaotic order, like when you see flocks of birds, flying off into the sun, startled by a sudden noise, and yet still flying perfectly even through their tangled masses.

"Dr. Cullen, what then would you advise of us?" She spoke with a clear voice, defying her maniac appearance. The voice she used was calm and cold, as if she was cutting off heart to let her mind work, and yet my mother could never do a thing fully. There was an alarmed note in the very undercurrents of her tone; she was guilty, and sad, and accusing. She thought it her fault, she was about to lose her husband, she blamed the doctor for not doing anything to save her husband. What scared me was that I understood her completely.

Was it our fault, my mother's or mine, that we hadn't realized Father was sick? If we had watched him better, talked to him more, would this sickness have become known to us?

Still, I could not fully surrender to the thought that my father was dying. A tiny proclamation cried out in my mind, "There is always hope!" And yet, a stronger voice, one whose majesty and strength could be felt throughout the depths of my mind, stated in a slow, even tone, "He will not live in this world for much longer." And deep down, I knew that the voice was right.

"…serious condition. There are already many who are in need of more care than your husband, Mrs. Mason. The best you can do for him is to be there, it is now that he needs you the most. But, Mrs. Mason, I have a file with me," he searched through his desk fruitlessly, "detailing that you had a housekeeper who was stricken by the influenza." He looked at us as he finally found the paper, "A Mrs. Carol Snow?" I nodded numbly while my mother looked on with glassy eyes; we had both caught the 'had' in Dr. Cullen's words.

He continued on, struggling it seemed to bring himself to tell the people even more bad news, and yet he didn't stop, though we all silently begged it of him.

"Mrs. Mason, your housekeeper passed away some days ago, I believe that you were not informed?" I nodded again, hearing a roaring in my ears, my hand must've been ice in Bella's.

The doctor continued with a sympathetic glance, "Well, that is to be expected. It has been so hectic here; we don't exactly have adequate time for contacting the families and friends of patients. And, due to your prolonged period of exposure to the disease, I would like to ask you Mrs. Mason, your son, and your guests, to please allow yourself to be checked for the influenza." Dr. Cullen couldn't even oblige us with meeting our eyes at the end of his words.

It was now my mother who spoke, "Yes." Simply an agreeing term and still it seemed as if her heart was ripped from her chest. It was at this time that I truly knew the meaning of uncertainty.

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**_Carlisle's back!!_**


	20. Chapter 20

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any related trademarks. _**

**_Guys, if you want me to update quicker, review more. _**

**_This is kind of a filler._**

**_Next Chapter: Bella finally breaks her chapters long silence._**

**_Not many chapters left._**

* * *

We stayed there, in the hospital. They ran an innumerable amount of tests, having us cough, checking our reflexes, going through every sneeze or headache since childhood.

But I saw my father.

It was…different…and painful to see him there. His once ample girth was gone, as if the head of my father was on a much thinner man; but, my father's face wasn't his own anymore. It was as if the influenza took more than the person's health, but it destroyed the person as well. It tore into its victim and changed him or her so utterly that it was impossible for anything to remain of what was once a life. Maybe that was why the sickness had this extreme death toll; the poor prey was altered so absolutely that the person it had been no longer recognized the pitiful, shattered shell as its own, and thus, it was left to wander.

That was the way it seemed with my father. His skin was the same blue tinge that I had seen on Mrs. Snow, and I remembered all too well how she had turned out. The whites of his eyes were yellow, and the corners were crusty. His hair was thinning out, more than I remembered, and he was confined to a bed.

We were kept at a distance of course, and wore masks that apparently lessoned the chance of catching the contagion itself, yet he could still see us.

If you could call it seeing.

Edward Mason Sr. was no longer the man that I remembered. For one, he wasn't conscious. His eyes were open, but that meant nothing. He didn't hear my mother's sobs, didn't feel her tears coursing over his face, didn't see the nurses' poor attempt to drag her away. She argued, the sickness was probably already in her, why should she try to stop what was impossible to deny?

But then Dr. Cullen stepped in to witness the hysteria on that first day.

"What is going on?" the doctor inquired, an eyebrow raised, a knowing look on his face. He had seen this before, and did not need any real answer.

"Dr. Cullen, Mrs. Mason is not cooperating; she will not leave her husband," a flustered nurse answered, her face red.

Dr. Cullen's golden eyes turned very soft, meltingly warm, and very sad, "Mrs. Mason, you must consider your son," he nodded towards me, "what will happen to him if you were to fall ill?"

Mother's face was shocked; I don't believe she had even thought of me in her hysteria at witnessing my father. I wasn't offended, I knew what I would do if I were in her position; if something of that magnitude had ever happened to Bella, I squeezed her hand, I wouldn't think anything but how to get her better. And I would remember. I would remember memories of our times together. The park, that first day, our first kiss, and even now while she silently held my hand obstinately, unwilling to let go even under her mother's disapproving stare.

Mother's green eyes slowly turned towards mine, just as she slowly, hesitantly withdrew her arms from around my father. Her face, red from the exertion of trying to keep close to my father, started to pale at a fast rate, and finally, her bloodless lips moved, "Never," she glanced from me to Dr. Cullen frantically, "nothing will ever happen to him of that magnitude." Her eyes, the unnatural green of clouds before they are ripped apart in the rain's wake, bored into the doctor's. A message was passed then; a promise was made, and it seemed as if I had missed something very important.

* * *

**_Guys, if you want me to update quicker, review more. _**

**_This is kind of a filler._**

**_Next Chapter: Bella finally breaks her chapters long silence._**

**_Not many chapters left._**

**_TwilightSnowStar_**


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